Kenya is threatening to withdraw its peacekeeping troops from the U.N. mission in South Sudan and to disengage from the country's peace process after the Kenyan force commander was fired by U.N. Chief Ban Ki Moon, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday. 

Kenyan Lt General Johnson Ondieki, was removed after a U.N. investigation found that peacekeepers did not protect civilians when fighting erupted in the capital in July between government and opposition forces. Some peacekeepers abandoned their positions, and others refused to deploy to rescue civilians trapped in a nearby hotel. 

In a statement, Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the process to remove Ondieki "not only lacked transparency but did not involve any formal consultation with the Government of Kenya," adding that it showed a "complete disregard for our country,"

If Kenya acts on the threat it could be a blow to South Sudan's peace agreement and weaken the UN mission in the country. There are roughly 1,000 Kenyan peacekeepers in South Sudan, and the country plays a crucial role in the peace process -- it is a signatory to the agreement and is involved in monitoring ceasefire violations. 

A source within the UN said that it has been notified by the Kenyan government of the pullout, and it would now discuss the modalities of the peacekeepers' removal.

The move also complicates efforts to deploy a 4,000 strong peacekeeping force to reinforce UNMISS' existing 12,000 troops. Kenya had pledged troops to the regional force, but Wednesday's decision apparently nullifies that unless reversed.